Opposing Dangerous Expansion of Government Censorship via Taxation in North Carolina
June 2, 2026
Honorable Danny Earl Britt, Jr.
Chair Senate Judiciary Committee, State of North Carolina
North Carolina State Capitol
Raleigh, NC 27601
Honorable Warren Daniel
Chair Senate Judiciary Committee, State of North Carolina
North Carolina State Capitol
Raleigh, NC 27601
Honorable Buck Newton
Chair Senate Judiciary Committee, State of North Carolina
North Carolina State Capitol
Raleigh, NC 27601
June 2, 2026
Re: Woodhull Freedom Foundation Opposes North Carolina Senate Bill 1007 (Human Trafficking Omnibus)
Dear Chair Britt, Chair Daniel, Chair Newton, and Members of the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee,
Woodhull Freedom Foundation is a national organization whose mission is to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right. Woodhull protects individuals’ rights across the United States to enjoy sexual dignity, privacy, and consensual sexual expression without societal or governmental interference, coercion or stigmatization. It is in this capacity, as experts on sexual freedom as a fundamental human right, that we submit this letter to express our strong opposition to SB 1007.
While we appreciate the intent of this bill to address human trafficking, we have two serious concerns with the bill’s approach. This includes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the imposition of a 10% “harmful materials tax”.
The proposed use of AI to develop a “risk model or similar decision support system” to triage cases and make referrals pose several risks. We have seen anti-trafficking organizations begin to develop and pilot AI tools to analyze potential cases of human trafficking. When tested, anti-trafficking practitioners have found the AI tools “hallucinate”, meaning they provide a confident but ultimately false analysis leading to inaccurate case assessments and referral recommendations. We are also concerned with data security and how case details fed into the proposed AI-triage tool will be protected. At present, SB 1007 does not address any of these potential risks related to using AI in triaging cases.
The proposed imposition of a 10% “harmful materials tax” on visual media deemed “prurient” or “harmful to minors” represents a dangerous expansion of government censorship via taxation. SB 1007 seeks to weaponize the tax code to suppress visual materials related to sexual expression. We have seen such tactics before, using the very real and serious harm of human trafficking to push legislation that will ultimate do little to stop exploitation, but which threaten First Amendment protected speech.
For over two decades, we at Woodhull have fought to preserve the First Amendment and the protections enshrined therein to ensure all Americans can freely and safely express themselves. SB 1007 poses a grave threat to free speech in the following ways:
- Retail-Wide Impact: The bill does not distinguish between adult-oriented businesses and mainstream retailers. It applies to any physical retail location, meaning bookstores and newsstands would face a “sin tax” for carrying graphic novels, art books, or magazines that contain mature themes.
- Vague Definitions: By targeting “prurient” visual depictions, the bill uses subjective standards that historically have been used to marginalize sexual health resources, artistic expression, and independent media.
This bill mirrors the “bookstore registration” tactics struck down in Big Hat Books v. Prosecutors 565 F. Supp. 2d 981 (S.D. Ind.2008).In this landmark First Amendment case, a federal judge permanently blocked a law in Indiana seeking to create a “retailer registration”. The court ruled that by requiring retailers selling material “harmful to minors” to register with the state, the statute was unconstitutional. Similarly, SB 1007 would unconstitutionally chill speech by making it financially and administratively burdensome for retailers to sell mature content in North Carolina.
SB 1007 is not the way to stop human trafficking in North Carolina. By using AI-triage tools, the bill threatens trafficking survivors’ privacy and exposes them to faulty case analysis and recommendations which may only compound their suffering. The bill also endangers every North Carolinian’s freedom of speech. We therefore urge you and your colleagues to reject SB 1007.
Thank you for consideration of this very important matter.
Sincerely,
Ricci Joy Levy
President & CEO
Woodhull Freedom Foundation